


Glowing Connection

by boredomsMuse



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Gen, Original Blue Paladin Lance, Secret keeping lance, black paladin lance, inspired by some amazing art
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-27 01:43:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9944834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boredomsMuse/pseuds/boredomsMuse
Summary: The bond between Paladin and Lion is sacred and unimaginable.  It is a connection between two souls completely attuned to each other and it is a bond that grows even stronger with time an care.  It is a bond that can grow so strong it can leave a physical trace on a Paladin's body.  A mark that proves how connected a Palain and Lion truly is.So why does Lance, of all people, seem to hate the markings so?





	

**Author's Note:**

> That title is so bad i am so sorry  
> Anyway! One thing to note, the bigger a mark the better your connection with your lion.  
> Link's to the artwork in the end notes!

Pidge let out a shout as sharp claws dug into the spot her green shoulder pad met her white chest plate, a crack in the armour that the creature she was fighting used to tear the chuck of metal off.  She cried out again as the harsh treatment damaged her shoulder and a growl followed her shout.  Lance held his weapon firmly, aim focused on the aliens own weak spot, in only a moment the creature would move its own shoulder just so, causing the protective scales to lift and give Lance enough time for him bullet to hit its mark. 

 

All he had to do was focus.

 

And yet, his attention snapped away as a soft green glow reflected off the kakai’s brown scales.  Frowning lightly his eyes moved to investigate the source.  Pidge’s now bare shoulder was a splash of the colour green.  He couldn’t make the design out quite right from his distance but he could see the green lines well enough to know it was a glowing, green tattoo. 

 

Fuck.

 

Lance jumped back to focus when someone (Keith he later realized) screamed “Shoot it!” as the alien rose it’s claws once more to attack at the now unprotected shoulder of the green paladin.  This was the chance he’d needed, he didn’t have time to waste or miss.

 

He didn’t miss. 

 

The creature died almost instantly, a bullet hole through a heart with flawless protection minus the one loophole Lance knew of.  He’d taken another life.  The thought coursed through him, down his spine, and for a moment he did nothing but let that draining feeling wash through him.  And then Lance stood and moved towards Pidge.

 

The paladin was hastily removing the rest of the arm of her armour.  It was smoking, Lance realized, the kakai’s spit was burning through the metal.  As she pulled the armour off more and more of the tattoo was revealed and as Lance drew closer he could see it more clearly.  It began with a large pawpoint on her shoulder blade, and then the shoulder seemed overcome with vines and leaves, twisting and dancing together, the bottom of which was overlaid with cables and connections but her elbow.  More nature, this time in the shape of flowers, sat beside it before the chaos of the forest was completely lost to the order of technology reaching her wrist.  The entire design was green and, in the twilight-like setting of the planet, it was easy to see the design glowed.

 

When had she gotten that, Lance wondered.  If he tried he thought he could recall Pidge pulling her jumper sleeves down more often, making sure her wrists were covered, but he couldn’t pinpoint when that had started. 

 

“Pidge are you okay?”  Hunk asked, rushing passed Lance who still stood stock still and staring.  Pidge took a few deep breaths, her melting armour in smoking pile off her arm.

 

“I think so.”  Pidge answered.  “I don’t think Allura’s going to be very happy though.”  She said, staring at the armour.

 

“Oh thank god.”  Hunk breathed.  “But dude what happened to your arm?”  He asked, lifting Pidge arm to stare and causing the younger to wince in the process.  “It looks like your tattoo Lance!”  He announced, looking back to the blue paladin who shrugged but otherwise stayed quiet.

 

“You have a tattoo?”  Keith frowned, walking over. 

 

“Yeah?  So what?  It’s not that weird I have a tattoo, it’s weird Pidge has one she’s like 12!”  Lance announced, maybe a little more forced and forceful then usual but no one had to know.

 

“I’m not 12.”  Pidge huffed, glaring.  “And I didn’t… _get_ a tattoo.  It just kind of… appeared, after that thing with the Olkari.”  She admitted. 

 

“Guys, we should get Pidge to a pod.”  Lance changed the topic.  “She’s bleeding and her shoulder doesn’t look so good.”

 

“I’m fine.”  Pidge insisted.  Lance rose an eyebrow and quickly poked at the others joint before he could be stopped, causing her to cry out.

 

“Fine my ass.”  Lance rolled his eyes.  “Hunk, you take Pidge back to the castle, okay?  Keith and I can finish here.”

 

“Okay.”  Hunk nodded.

 

“No!”  The youngest shouted.  “I can help!” 

 

“Yeah, you can help after you’re healed.  Go.”  Lance huffed, crossing his arms.  Pidge grumbled but Hunk carefully helped her back towards his lion.  Since losing Shiro the team had gotten admittedly a bit paranoid with the lions, usually only taking one or two for planet based missions rather than the four functional ones.  Originally Lance had flown with Hunk, now it seemed he was flying back with Keith.

 

“I’m surprised she listened to you.”  Keith commented, having remained silent throughout the conversation.  He was doing that a lot more these days, watching Lance interact with others rather than interacting himself.

 

“Let’s just get this over with.”  Lance mumbled, turning to the dead kakai.  Kakai scales, once boiled, turned clear and could be used in a similar way to diamonds on Earth.  Lance still wasn’t sure why Coran needed them, but he wasn’t opposed to getting them.  Or he hadn’t been, when he’d been under the assumption the planet still housed the tinj who used to keep kakai scales around meaning Lance wouldn’t have to skin a dead alien.  He and Keith worked in silence at first, picking scales from the body before them both with a startling amount of indifference, before Keith spoke up again.

 

“I have one too.”  He admitted.  “A tattoo like Pidge’s.  It just sort of appeared after the thing with the Blade of Marmora.”

 

“That thing were you almost died to find out you’re half galra?  Something just having the blade basically proved?”  Lance huffed, maybe a little too aggressively.  He just… didn’t want to talk about this.

 

“Yeah.”  Keith shrugged.  “I didn’t bring it up, I thought maybe it was a galra thing.” 

 

“Yes Keith, I see galra with glowing tattoo’s all the time.”  The blue paladin responded sarcastically.  He just wanted to change the topic.  “How’s it going with Black?”  That was as good a subject change as any, he figured. 

 

“It’s… not.”  Keith slumped slightly.  Maybe not the best subject change then.  “I don’t get it.  Shiro wanted me to be the leader and I’ve flown Black before but he just won’t let me in now.”  It was growing to be a big problem.  Despite all Keith and Allura’s efforts Black’s particle barrier had remained unwavering since they’d stepped out of the lion without Shiro.  It was getting to be a hassle, they couldn’t attack larger galra operations without Voltron.  Lance was almost tempted to… no, he wouldn’t.  Besides, why would Black chose him if he wouldn’t even give Keith, the best pilot of his generation, a chance?

 

“He’ll come around eventually.  There’s no way he can stay stoic forever.”  Lance offered, dropping another scale into his pile.

 

“I don’t know Lance.”  Keith sighed.  “Maybe he knows I don’t really want to lead Voltron, maybe he knows I’d suck at it.” 

 

“Shiro chose you, he clearly thought you wouldn’t suck at it.”  The slightly taller frowned.

 

“Yeah, well, maybe Shiro choose wrong.”  They went back to picking scales in silence.

 

* * *

 

Coran was happy with the amount of scales they brought back, apparently it was a much higher number than he’d expected.  He was quick to inform them that Pidge was in the medical bay, as Lance had instructed, before rushing off to prepare the scales probably.  Lance and Keith walked in silence to the medical bay and found Allura and Hunk talking as they stared at Pidge’s form, her tattoo once more hidden.

 

“Hey guys!”  Hunk greeted. 

 

“Paladins.”  Allura greeted, not turning from Pidge’s healing form to face them the way Hunk did.

 

“You’ll never believe this, Pidge’s glowing tattoo is like a lion bonding thing.”  The yellow Paladin explained.  “Apparently it’s like a physical manifestation of her and Green’s bond.”

 

“Cool.”  Lance shrugged, looking elsewhere.

 

“Have either of you gotten marks as well?”  Allura asked, finally turning from Pidge.  Keith hesitated a moment before nodding.

 

“Yeah Princess.”  He answered, removing the top half of his armour and turning to better reveal the red design on his right arm, which Lance guessed was a little larger than Pidge’s.  He, too, had a large lions paw on his shoulder blade though his was framed with a dagger on both ends.  Over his shoulder rested a roaring lion’s head, beneath which a twisting design of lions, roses, and flowers encompassed his arm down to his wrist.  In the light of the medical bay it was hard to notice the glow the markings had.  Allura and Hunk both stared at in with different kinds of curiosity while Keith stood tense under their gazes.

 

“It’s strange.”  Allura commented.  “These are nothing like that markings the previous Paladin’s had.” 

 

“They aren’t?”  Keith asked, frowning, moving to redress himself as Allura ceased her examination.

 

“They are in the same spot, and your element references are similar but otherwise the imagery is different.”  She continued.  “My father, the previous Red Paladin, had mostly imagery of Altea’s beauty, it’s flowers and skies.  The previous Green Paladin had imagery of books and language.”

 

“Well our bonds aren’t going to be the same as the previous paladins.”  Lance shrugged.  “We’re not the same people, uh, aliens?”

 

“I suppose so.”  Allura nodded.  “Have you not gotten your mark yet?”  She asked Lance.  Lance hoped it wasn’t obvious how he tensed.

 

“Not yet.”  He mumbled.

 

“Strange.”  Allura commented.  “The first Blue Paladin was the first to get his mark.”  Lance forced himself to shrug, looking away.

 

“Still, Lance has this really cool tattoo!”  Hunk bragged for Lance.  “It’s glow-y like the bond mark things, but it’s obviously not a bond mark thing because he’s had it like since before we met.  Plus it barely glows, not like Pidge and Keith’s.” 

 

“You mentioned that on the planet.”  Keith recalled.

 

“It’s private and none of you are seeing it.”  Lance stated firmly, giving the two that hadn’t seen it a firm glare for good measure.  “I’m going to go change.”  He left the room in a rush.

 

* * *

 

Hunk was dead set on getting his own tattoo; Lance could accept and understand that especially knowing how important tattoos were to the other teen.  What Lance wasn’t so willing to accept was Hunk’s insistence on talking about it. 

 

Everyone’s insistence on talking about it, actually.  Keith had taken to wearing his jacket less and less often (which, again, Lance understood because it was a mark that he wasn’t just a half-galran orphan, he belonged to a different group and family and Keith was _allowed_ to be proud about that, really he was encouraged).  Pidge and Hunk talked about how and why the marks formed throughout most meals, often roping Coran and occasionally Allura into joining their conversation.  Allura had decided to start bringing it up at every chance throughout training, and there were apparently _a lot_ of chances.  Lance couldn’t manage to take 2 steps without hearing about the glowing tattoos and he was so _sick_ of it.

 

“Why don’t you just ask her for it?”  Lance huffed, a bit too aggressively, as he walked with Hunk throughout the seemingly endless castle corridors, the latter rambling about his latest theories on how to get his mark to form.

 

“Ask?”  Hunk frowned.  “But then I haven’t really, like, earned it or whatever, right?”  He said, looking to Lance for more clarification. 

 

“With the others maybe but like, your lions all about kindness, right?  And thinking about others?  Maybe she just doesn’t want to give a permeant mark on your skin if you don’t want it.”  Lance explained, one hand still crossed around his chest while he gestured with the other.  Hunk was silent a few steps, thinking the words over before nodding sagely.

 

“Could be, could be.”  He hummed.  “I’m going to go try it out.”  He rushed off, back the way they’d come, and Lance run a hand through his hair with a sigh.  Maybe once he got it Hunk would stop bringing the marks up.

 

“That was some pretty good advice Lance!”  Coran announced, appearing from another corridor and causing the named teen to shout. 

 

“Coran, geez dude you gave me a heart attack.”  Lance wheezed.

 

“Did you think of it yourself?”  Coran pressed.

 

“Huh?  Uh, I guess.”  The teen shrugged once he’d caught his breath, hands moving to rest in his pockets.  Coran stared at him a moment, eyes narrowed and leaning closer while Lance leaned back.

 

“Hmmm….”  He hummed, the silence continuing for a good awkward few minutes before Coran finally pulled back.  “You know Lance,” He started.  “You can tell me anything.”  His words through Lance for a loop for a second before the blue paladin shrugged.

 

“Okay?  I’m not like, I’m not hiding anything.”  He replied. 

 

“Of course you’re not my boy.”  Coran sighed.  “Well, I best be getting back.  The castle doesn’t quite run itself the way it used to.”  The altean quickly rushed off, leaving Lance tense and staring after him.

 

* * *

 

“It worked!”  Hunk announced, bounding into the dining room in his boxers.

 

“Dude!”  Keith exclaimed at the sight.

 

“Hunk!  That is not appropriate paladin apparel!”  Allura scolded. 

 

“But look!”  Hunk beamed, gesturing to the brand new glow on his left leg.  To Lance it seemed proportionately the same size as Pidge’s.  Mountains edged up Hunk’s hips, their points nearing his waist, while beneath them rested a tribal marking mostly hidden under his boxers, the bottom of the mark circling just above his knee before continuing on beneath it to his ankle.  On the back of his knee, breaking up the design, rested a lion’s face, not half as aggressive in design as Keith’s.  “I just, like, asked her and she said she wanted to but only if I wanted to and now look!”  He announced happily. 

 

“We’re happy for you, now can you please put on some pants!”  Pidge demanded. 

 

* * *

 

“Alright Paladins, I suppose you have done passable work for today.”  Allura announced as the group tried to catch their breath.  Never did Lance miss Shiro more than when Allura took over their training sessions. 

 

“Good, because I am _not_ doing that again.”  Pidge decided, face down on the floor. 

 

“Me neither.”  Lance agreed, laying on his back a couple steps away.

 

“However, this is one other matter we must attend to.”  Allura’s words brought groans from everyone in the room.  “Lance, are you sure you have not yet got your mark?”  Lance groaned again, forcing himself to sit back up.

 

“Yes, princess, I’m sure.  I would’ve noticed a glowing tattoo on my person.”  He rolled his eyes.  It’d been a week since Hunk’s tattoo had formed and in all that time Lance had reported no news on his own, or any attempt to get his own.  Keith, also, had reported no improvements in his situation with Black.

 

“You mean a _new_ glowing tattoo.”  Keith pointed out.  “There’s still that one you won’t show us.”  Lance shot him a glare in response.

 

“That’s just what I was about to bring up!”  Allura announced.  “The mice informed me you _do_ have your mark.  Perhaps you simply cannot tell due to it being hidden in your old one.”  Lance moved his glare to where he could see the mice.  Traitors.

 

“Maybe they’re the ones that couldn’t tell.”  He huffed.  “I’m not showing you guys my tattoo.”  He stated, pulling himself to his feet.

 

“Why, is it racist or stupid?”  Pidge asked.  “It’s probably stupid, like ‘Call me Tailor~’ or something, right?” 

 

“No Pidge, it is not stupid, or racist, and it’s not that.  Geez.”  Lance huffed.  “What it is is none of your guys’ business so buzz off.”  He said, storming passed Allura and to his room.

 

* * *

 

Lance always showered after everyone else had gone to sleep.  The showers they used were communal and he didn’t really want the others to see him naked so he always made sure no one else was in the room and that he locked the door behind him.

 

Today was no expectation, if anything he was even more careful about it after the conflict in the training room.  And yet, perfectly timed after he pulled off his pants, the door opened behind him and Lance froze.  There was nothing he could do as he heard a gasp behind him and muffled confusion surrounding the noise.

 

Lance’s mark was easily the biggest.  A fish swam at its peak, just below his right shoulder blade.  Wave like designs curled around his back and flicked over to his chest as fish seemed to swim through the patterns.  A lion, its mane large and wavy, roared above his hip.  The underwear he’d yet to remove covered how it moved down onto his right leg where waves, ponds, flowers, and fish decorated his skin right down to his ankle.  The lighting was low in the room, it was night after all, and there was no mistaking the blue glow that came from the marks.

 

“That’s… that has to be a mark.”  Pidge frowned. 

 

“Why the hell would you lie to us about that?”  Keith demanded a moment after, glaring.

 

“Lance?”  Hunk whispered, staring at the tattoo he’d seen years ago but one that had seemed smaller than, that certainly had never glowed so strongly.  As the three Paladins stared in confusion and Lance shook under their gaze, Allura stepped towards him.  Her shoes clacked against the tile-like floor as she moved closer to Lance.  Her frown was deeper than that of the others, her confusion there for a different reason.

 

“Your markings are the same.”  She commented, a statement on the verge of being a question as she stared at the glowing blue symbols.  Lance took a shaky breath.

 

“Yes Princess.”  He replied, eyes shutting tight as he bent his head forward.

 

“Then…”  She trailed off, the hope in her voice too fragile to compliment the sentence.  Lance gulped.

 

“Yes Princess.”  He answered her unspoken statement and with another moment’s hesitation he turned around and did something he hadn’t done in a long, long time.

 

He let go of Lance McClain.

 

“What the hell?”  He heard Keith mutter, his eyes still shut tight as not to see their reactions while his body shifted.  His hair grew lighter, white tinting the brown into an incredibly pale shade.  Under his closed eyes the main markings reappeared, a blue a few shades lighter than his tattoo.  The markings did not stop at his cheeks, lines of glowing colour appearing along his arms and legs, down his back.  Along with those markings came scars, namely one large one on his chest.  He almost laughed as his ears shifted into their pointed shape, recalling what Allura had first said to him when she emerged from the pod.

 

“But how?”  Allura breathed.  “I… I thought you died with the others.”

 

“He tried to kill me.”  The paladin shrugged, forcing himself to open eyes that no longer looked human.  Forcing himself not to look at his teammates.  “Almost did.”  He added, raising his hand to scar on his chest.  “But Blue and I got away.  We found Earth and I used her pod.  I didn’t… I didn’t really expect to wake up.  But um, I did.  And I found myself with the McClain’s pretty soon after.”  He explained.

 

“Lance?”  Hunk breathed again.  “I don’t… I don’t get it.”  Lance bit his lip harshly before turning to his friends, his team, staring his best friend in the eye.

 

“I’m not human.”  He stated plainly.  “My name is Lancil Ulans, and uh…”  He stumbled over his words, breaking eye contact with Hunk at the betrayed face he was making.  He cleared his throat and tried again.  “I’m the fourth child and second son of Palin and Youri Ulans and I am the first Blue Paladin.”  He completed, almost surprising himself in his memory of his old introduction and title.

 

“What?”  Keith growled, his voice taking on a tone Lance described as more galran than human.

 

“But you, but I’ve met your family!”  Hunk announced.  “Your parents and your siblings and they, they never said or acted like you were adopted or, or an _alien_.” 

 

“The McClains aren’t, I mean I’m not _technically_ related to them.  Like, they’re my family because they took me in when they found me and they, and they’re so much better than my birth family.  But yeah, I was ‘adopted’ I guess, we just never really talked about it.”  Lancil sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and wincing when he remembered the newly returned sensitive marking there.

 

“Why didn’t you tell us?!”  Keith growled.  The blue paladin was silent again a moment.  Not sure how to answer that, not sure he wanted to. 

 

“Because Zarkon was the first black paladin.”  Pidge answered for him.  “Lance was Zarkon’s blue paladin.”  The phrasing made almost everyone flinch but… but it was true.

 

“Yeah.”  Lancil sighed.  “He was… we were friends.  I looked up to him.”  He bit his lip, remembering a Zarkon that was so unlike the one that had tried to kill him ten thousand years ago, months ago.  “I guess I was kinda worried Allura would take Blue away from me.”  He admitted.

 

“I would never Lancil.”  Allura assured.

 

“You completely ignored Keith’s existence when you found out he was half-galra.”  The shorter reminded her.  Allura looked away in shame.

 

“That was… that was different.”  She mumbled.

 

“Yeah, Keith found out his mother was part of a galran rebellion against Zarkon.  I was engaged to Zarkon’s son.  My worries about your reaction are completely just.”  Lancil stated. 

 

“You were engaged to who?!”  Keith snapped.

 

“It was arranged.”  Lancil mumbled.  “Just a political move my parents made for power.  Which is the same reason I was made the Blue Paladin.”  He added with a sigh.  “Which is… I guess that was the main reason I didn’t tell you guys, above all the Zarkon stuff.  I wanted to prove I could be the blue paladin because I deserved it, not because my parents wanted to get rid of me.”

 

“That wasn’t why you were chosen.”  Allura tried, frowning.

 

“Allura, my parents hated Voltron.  They thought being a Paladin was beneath ‘people of our status’ but they couldn’t exactly refuse King Alfor so they sent me.”  He muttered.  “That was all there was to it.  I thought if no one knew that, if you all thought I was the blue paladin because I was good enough, I’d be able to prove my worth.  There wasn’t any risk of getting things just because of my status.  But I haven’t even been able to do that.  I’m a 7th wheel at best and there’s only 6 of us now.”  He could help the tears welling as he spoke.  It was all too much, revisiting memories and emotions he’d repressed for years before a team he was certain was about to kick him out. 

 

The team was silent for a moment.

 

“I get it.”  Pidge mumbled.  “I get like, hiding something because you don’t want people to think different of you.”  She said, looking at his feet as she kicked at the ground.  “This doesn’t, it doesn’t _change_ anything.”

 

“Yeah…”  Hunk mumbled.  “Yeah.”  He repeated, with more confidence and a nod.  “Dude, you’re still my best bro and I mean I’m kinda hurt you didn’t share this with me because like you’re the proof aliens are real man, but you’re still you.”

 

“I prefer humans to alteans.”  Lance admitted.  “And like, being human.  People accepted me more on Earth.”

 

“That I get then dude, it’s okay.”  Hunk smiled, walking over to pat Lance on the back, causing Lance to wince as his sensitive marks were touched so roughly.  He had to get used to those again.  Allura cleared her throat.

 

“And I... I must admit I haven’t given you much of a chance to prove yourself.  You must certainly are not a 7th wheel and I regret that you feel that way.”  Allura stood up a little straighter.  It was certainly strange, seeing Allura stand and talk regally in the showers.  “Lancil, you were trained as the previous Black Paladin’s right hand and be that because of status or talent, you were good at what you did.  Perhaps the reason Black would not accept myself of Keith is because he knows that _you_ , Lance, are his destined Paladin.”  The named paladin stared at Allura wide eyed as she finished.

 

“But… but Shiro chose Keith!”  He remained, voice a little higher than he meant for it to be.  Everyone turned to look at the Red Paladin, to see his response.  He looked a touch calmer than he had but a minute ago.

 

“Shiro… Shiro could’ve made a mistake Lance.  I’m pissed that you didn’t tell us this but the others are right, you’re still the same annoying cargo pilot you were before.  And… and I was already willing to follow that cargo pilot anywhere so if you want to try to get Black to open up to you than I’m fine with that.”  He said, forcing a shrug as though his words were of no consequence.  Lance felt as though a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.

 

“I… I guess I could try, I mean Black just won’t let me in if I’m not right, right?”  He said after a moment.  “But uh, can I have a shower first?”  He added, gesturing to his state of undress.

 

“Oh!”  Allura flushed, having forgotten entirely.  “Of course, we will see if you are the appropriate pilot in the morning.”  With that she quickly left the room. 

 

“Yeah, I’ve seen more of you tonight than I ever wanted to.  I shouldn’t’ve worn my glasses.”  Pidge commented, wrinkling her nose.

 

“Sleep well Lance… uh, Lancil now I guess?”  Hunk said, giving Lance a hug.

 

“Let’s just stick with Lance, I like it better anyway.”  Lance smiled.   Hunk nodded and headed off with Pidge.  Keith hesitated a moment at the door still.  “Uh, Keith, unless you want to see a nude altean you should probably head off.”  He suggested.  “Like, this could be a traumatic experience, for all you know I have a tentacle for a dick.”

 

“I didn’t want to think about that.”  Keith stated with a glare before hesitating a moment more anyway.  “Just… just for the record, I don’t think Blue picked you just because of your parent’s politics.”  He said.  Lance gave him a sad smile.

 

“The Blue Lion will only pick a paladin who is loyal to his cause and his team, who cannot be swayed by money or power because he knows what it’s like to be alone and he would not wish that on anyone.”  Lance recited.  “Blue picked me because she knew my family thought I was the dirt on the bottom of their fancy upper class shoes.  Sure it’s not exactly politics but that doesn’t exactly mean she picked me because I’d make a good paladin.”

 

“Yeah it does.”  Keith frowned.  “Weren’t you listening to yourself?  She picked you because you’re loyal, because you value your team and what’s right over everything else.  That makes you a great paladin.  Lance you _are_ a great Paladin.”  He stated firmly.  Lance blushed, quickly looking down.  “And you’re going to make a great leader.”  Keith added, before leaving the room with a quick ‘night’.

 

* * *

 

Lance got out of the shower felling refreshed and humming lightly, face mask in place over his altean skin.  He figured he’d swap back, he preferred looking human after all, but he didn’t feel he _needed_ to swap back just yet.

 

“Finally!”  Coran grinned as Lance left the showers.

 

“Jesus Coran!”  Lance squeaked.  “Stop doing that!”

 

“Apologies Lancil.  I was just glad to see you looking like your old self again!”  The royal advisor was still grinning as he looked at Lance who frowned a little.

 

“You knew?”  He asked.

 

“Of course I did!  I was as close to the Paladins as any none Paladin could get, of course I noticed.”  The elder altean bragged.  “It, uh, the cyropod also maybe have said you were altean but it was mostly my own inner knowledge of the Paladins of course!”  Lance laughed a little as he continued.

 

“Well, thanks for not spilling the beans Coran.”  He said after a moment.  “I’m uh, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you…”

 

“Nonsense my boy.”  Coran brushed him off.  “I’m just glad to see you back in your old skin.”

 

“I’m actually figuring I’m going to stick with my human form.”  Lance said.  “And also ‘Lance’ as my name.  I just… kinda prefer it you know?”  Coran nodded understandingly, his smile taking on a different form.

 

“I’m glad you found a family that loves you for you Lance.”  He said softly.  “Two, in fact.”  He added.

 

“Me too Coran.”  Lance smiled back.

 

* * *

 

The next morning Lance stood before the Black Lion’s particle barrier, once more appearing human (or mostly, he’d decided to let the marks on his face stay). 

 

“Hey Black, long time no talk.”  He mumbled softly.  “So like, I get you’re being kinda picky lately but the guys reckon I should give getting your approval a try so here I am.  Don’t get too mad at me for wanting to do this, kay?”  He joked.  Lance took a deep breath and knocked against the barrier, a lot like how he had with Blue’s that day in the cave and the first day he’d met het over ten thousand years ago.

 

To Lance’s surprise the barrier fell away before he could knock the second time.  Black’s head lowered and he opened his mouth.  Hesitantly, Lance stepped inside.

 

 _‘You kept me waiting Lance.’_   The lion rumbled, the power in his voice sending a shiver down Lance’s spine. 

 

“Sorry big guy.”  Lance grinned, looking over control he’d learnt to pilot long ago.  “Hey guys.” He spoke over the comms.  “I’m going for a test run, head somewhere you can watch it’s gonna be awesome.”  He grinned.  Lance waited for the okay from Keith before leaving the hanger bay and flying around the ship, making sure to do something fancy in view of every window.

 

 _‘You are a show off my black paladin.’_   Black sighed, only sound slightly annoyed.

 

“I like the sound of that.”  Lance laughed.  “But no offense man, Blue will always be my favourite.”

 

‘ _I’d better.’_   His original lion’s voice cut through his mind.

 

 _‘And Shiro is mine.’_   Black returned.  Lance laughed lightly again and did another couple laps before setting Black back down in the hangar bay and exiting as the official Black Paladin.

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired by [jen-iii's](http://jen-iii.tumblr.com) amazing artwork on tumblr (I hope i described them okay)  
> Pidge is [here](http://jen-iii.tumblr.com/post/157432024646/this-is-honestly-an-excuse-to-draw-glowing-tattoos), Keith is [here](http://jen-iii.tumblr.com/post/157715885636/next-up-on-my-glowy-paladin-tattoo-series-is), Hunk is [here](http://jen-iii.tumblr.com/post/157522203481/next-up-on-my-glowy-tattooed-paladin-series-is-my), and Lance is [here](http://jen-iii.tumblr.com/post/157643826221/more-of-my-glowing-paladin-tattoo-series-here-we)


End file.
